In Plain Sight
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: In which Mirajane learns that keeping secrets can be fun and Laxus likes being told what a good dragon he is. - One-shot.


In Plain Sight

They could go days without talking to one another. Considering who Laxus was, Mirajane never found herself too surprised by that. He'd always been the silent brooding type, honestly, and she liked him that way. It made it more fun. Almost like they were keeping a secret.

Well, because they were. Mirajane had fallen hard for the silly little Dragon Slayer and he'd pledged his love to her a billion times already (actually forty-seven in the past nine months of dating, but she wasn't counting or anything…), so they were pretty much together forever.

Not that this was a new feeling for Mira. Every relationship she had went about the same. She was in love instantaneously, he'd take her out to the most magnificent places, they begin planning a future together, she'd have their babies name's picked out, and then, out of nowhere, it would all come crashing down. He'd stay out too late for her tastes or not come around enough or he'd get jealous of her modeling or flirting up at the bar. The reasons were as endless as she'd thought her love had been.

She'd sulk for awhile, but then, like always, she'd bounce right back. There'd be other guys, after all. Tons of them. There always were.

And it was the same for Laxus with women. Or, well, it used to be. He'd usually have one or two floating around for awhile, but they mostly were meaningless and limitless. He just wasn't good with relationships for a number of reasons. For one, he didn't like conversation. Especially about feelings or how someone's day was. His schedule was impossible to map out. He could hang around for Magnolia for weeks on end and then, suddenly, be gone for nearly a year. He just wasn't a steady, reliable guy. Then there was the fact that when he was around and was ready to talk, usually he'd have a rather discouraging thought about someone else on his mind. Either that or he wanted to brag on himself. And most people just didn't want to put up with that.

But that was what made him so compatible with Mirajane. He didn't need to talk. Actually, she preferred it because it meant that she could even more. Which, for the record, was a definite plus. And she didn't care when he was in town. At all. Because she wasn't going anywhere. Never. She was just right there, at the bar, where he left her, having fun without him. And she just thought it was so _cute_ when he tried so hard to be rude to the guild members in an attempt to, as she put it, hide his love for them. Bleck. And talk about him? She loved to talk about him! Because talking about him meant talking about his jobs and she loved hearing about those.

She was just the closest to perfection that Laxus was going to get. And he really didn't see an end in sight.

Not that he didn't know that most relationships did end poorly. He just wasn't as skeptical on theirs like Mirajane was. Mainly because he didn't have ones like the one they had together. Never ever. It was new for him. And he rather liked it.

It wasn't like Mirajane wanted it to end either though. She pretended a lot like there wasn't a chance it could. Because, well, honestly, it had to just be the best game ever!

Her and Laxus had yet to break it to anyone in the guild that they were dating. There was, of course, the main reason in that, well, Mirajane did have her hand in disrupting others lives to try and influence whatever love life she thought they should be having, so there was always the chance that someone would purposely interfere for retribution. Then there was the fact that she and Laxus weren't exactly the closest of friends and it would be bothersome having to explain how they came to be.

Every time they talked about it, Mira just told Laxus that she didn't want everyone to know and to think different of her. That she was just using him or something.

"Using me for what?"

"You know," she'd say slowly, "to get closer to the Master."

"Demon," he'd groan, like always, "if you and gramps get any damn closer, you'll be dating a whole different Dreyar."

But that wasn't the only reason, anyhow.

"It'd be weird," Mirajane would say. "I mean, Lisanna and Bickslow are together and Elfman and Ever are…doing whatever it is that they've always done, so it'd be kinda of weird. And creepy. You know? If you and me… I mean, the only thing worse would be if I was with Freed. Then it'd seem even more unlikely."

"For more than one reason."

The overwhelming cause of Mira's hesitance to bring her relationship with the Thunder God into the light though was just from the thrill she got from keeping the whole thing a secret.

That wasn't something she usually could do, after all. Keep a secret. She blabbed everything to everyone. It was kinda her thing.

But oh if she didn't get a rush from keeping her own. The little notes that her and Laxus would give one another, the smiles that he'd sometimes send her way when no one else was looking. The way that they would always find some way to be standing next to each other whenever something was going on at the guild. Or how he'd stick around after close, not saying anything, but just so he could walk her home (or back to his place, if he was lucky). The clandestine dinners that they had in other towns, far away from the watchful eyes of the guildhall. It was almost all too much for the takeover mage.

Almost.

But as it stood, it was slowly becoming one of the most exciting things in her life at the moment. There was nothing better than asking Lisanna to cover at the bar for her, that she wasn't feeling well, only to take a train and meet up with Laxus somewhere. Or not going home for days when her siblings were out on a job as she stayed at his apartment, practically moving in if the other two were gone long enough. And having to hide all of the gifts that he gave her (they were copious) had to be the best (and worst) part of it all.

Like most things though, it was only one careless mistake the ruined it all.

"You have to go. Or we have to go."

"Why?" Laxus just laid there on the couch, his head resting in the woman's lap as he blinked up at her. He liked when she played with his hair and told him what a good dragon he was. Not that he'd ever admit that, but… "I'm comfortable."

"Yeah, Lax, I know, but Lisanna and Elfman have been gone for a few days now," she said with a slight shake of her head. "And this has been nice, having you stay over, but if they get back home today and see you here-"

"We'll figure that out when it happens."

"Laxus-"

"You know, the other day I saw this stupid cat that was being chased by a dog and I helped it." He looked at her expectantly, waiting for the kiss to the head. When she did that, she spoke softly against his forehead.

"Good dragon."

Wiggling his toes as he laid there, he went on. "Then, as you know, I saved that town for that person that was setting fires. What do you call it?"

"An arsonist?"

"Yeah. I did that."

"Such a good dragon."

Shutting his eyes then, he said, "My hair, demon?"

With a sigh, she took to stroking it gently. "Did the dragon do any other good things this week?"

"Mmmhmm."

"What?"

"Mmmm…I took out the trash."

"Laxus, that's not-"

"It's a good thing. Would you rather I let my trash just overflow? Huh?"

"Good dragon," she gave in. "Such a good dragon."

"Tell me how much you love me."

"You're a little overeager today, Lax."

"Mira-"

"You know that I love you," she said as he peeked an eye open to find her staring down at him. "More than anything. Do you love me?"

"Uh, excuse me, this is the praise Laxus hour. You can have yours later."

"Laxus."

"Talk about how great of a wizard I am. And about how-"

"You know, this used to be a time when I told you my deepest, most sincere feelings. Recently you've turned it into me just telling you about all your accomplishments and praising you for them."

"What the heck else is love supposed to be?"

"I-"

Suddenly, they heard the front door open and the sound of Lisanna's giggling. As the front door was only out in the hall and that was the only exit from the living room, Laxus was stuck.

"Mira," Lisanna called out as she came into the house. "We're home. Or, well, I am. Elfman is up at the guild and I brought Bickslow for dinner, but-"

She just stopped like that too as she saw Laxus scrambling in the living room to get up from Mira's lap as she just stared with wide eyes over at her sister. Bickslow was next to her too and, for once, didn't have his babies or his visor on, so the shock in his eyes was clear.

"B-Boss!" he exclaimed as Lisanna just blinked.

"Uh-"

"No, Lisanna, wait," Mirajane tried. "I can explain. Laxus is…was…we're…"

"I am shocked," the seith interrupted as he just stared. "And amazed. Surprised. I… Lissy? What's another word for shocked?"

Softly, she whispered, "Astounded."

"Right, thanks." Looking at Mira once more, he said, "I am ass pounding."

As his girlfriend elbowed him, Laxus just groaned, rubbing at his eyes.

"How long as this been going on?" Lisanna asked after a moment. "Mira? Or…was this just a one time-"

"No," she said, her blush dying down as she got to her feet. "And you can't tell anyone. We…This is a secret."

"Right. A secret. A shocking one." Then Bickslow did something odd. Odder than that fake loud voice he'd been using the whole time. He literally winked at Laxus. Mira caught it too. "Big secret."

"What was that?" she asked.

"What was what?"

"You just winked."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did. I saw you. You-"

"Bickslow has a nervous tick thing," Lisanna said quickly as she took his arm to drag him from the room. "It's one of the reason he wears his visor. And he's real self-conscious about it, Mirajane. So thanks a lot for bringing it up."

Glancing down at his girlfriend, Bickslow caught her gaze before nodding his head and sniffling some. "Yeah, Mira! I'm real sensitive about it."

"I'm sorry. I just- Where are you going? Lisanna!"

But she drug him straight to her bedroom, the door closing not soon after.

"Great," Mirajane sighed as she moved to sit back down on the couch. Laxus was still just sitting there, not saying much. "Now what?"

Laxus didn't answer though. Only shrugged.

"Do you think they'll tell anyone?"

"No," he said after a moment or two. "Bickslow's one of my guys, Mirajane. He won't do anything I tell him not to. So don't worry about it, alright? I'll go talk to him and Lisanna-"

"No, Laxus, don't. You-"

"Mirajane, seriously, I got this, alright? I-"

"I trust them," Mira said then with a confident nod of her head. "So…don't worry about it. Alright? But please, just go. Before Elfman shows up or something."

He frowned then, but did get to his feet. "Fine. I'll see you later, alright, demon? Up at the hall or something?"

When she nodded, he leaned down to kiss her before taking off.

And for a few days Mirajane was on pins and needles. Lisanna knew. And Bickslow. Neither of which she was too certain could keep a secret. She should know. She was a expert at it, after all.

Slowly though, she found that nothing had changed. Other than, like, Lisanna knew. But what was so bad about that? It meant that Mirajane had someone else to discuss things with and, actually, that wasn't so bad. It felt like it'd been forever since she could counter Lisanna's stories about Bickslow with ones about her own boyfriend. And Laxus at that, the man that her boyfriend submitted to. If anything, it put Mirajane right back over her sister, where she belong.

All in all, it wasn't so bad…until the next slip up happened.

That one actually didn't involve either of her siblings. Instead, it was Cana, who'd spent the day up at the bar drinking away like usually, whose tongue got a tad too loose and started spouting off things.

It started innocently enough. She was actually teasing Lucy, who was left all by herself up at the guildhall by Natsu and Happy, about just how much she was missing the two of them.

The guild was closing soon then though and Mirajane was busy cleaning up when it happened.

"You miss your boyfriend too, huh?' was what the drunkard laughed as the barmaid passed with a broom. Lucy, who was up at the bar with the other woman, frowned at that.

"Natsu isn't my boyfriend, for one," she said. "And Mirajane is probably glad that Laxus is gone, so-"

"Wait, what?" Mira glanced over at them then, Lucy blushing deeply at her mistake, though Cana hadn't caught on yet. "Were you talking to me, Cana?"

"Course I was," she slurred as she looked over at her. "I's sayin' that you miss your boyfriend just as much as Lucy misses Natsu."

"Again," Lucy complained, "Natsu and I aren't-"

"Why do you guys think that Laxus and I are… Did Lisanna tell you?"

Finally, it dawned on Cana that she wasn't supposed to know that bit of information and, with a grin, she laughed loudly and said, "I'm drunk. I dunno what I'm talkin' about."

"Yeah," Lucy was quick to agree. "She's drunk and I'm… I don't know anything! Come on, Cana. Need help walking to the dormitory?"

"No, I- Hey, stop pulling me!"

Why would Lucy and Cana know about Laxus?

Mirajane was able to put it out of her head because, well, mainly because she had to. Cana and Lucy both took jobs not soon after that, going through Kinana or the Master with their requests, so they could avoid her.

What was going on?

"I dunno, demon," Laxus said dismissively when she brought it up. "Who knows what those two dopes are ever talking about? I mean, one's always drunk and the other is a stupid, ditzy blonde that honestly thinks the Salamander and his damn cat are interesting. Who the hell would take them seriously?"

So she tried hard to ignore the oddness of it all. And she was able to. For awhile. Until the next thing happened a few weeks later.

She had spent the night over at Laxus' place, forgetting that she didn't have anything over there to wear that morning for work as she'd taken everything home to wash it previously. And, because Laxus had managed to bust the zipper on the back of her dress the night before, it left her with nothing to wear.

When she came running into her house that day through the backdoor, dressed in a pair of the man's shorts and one of his button-up shirts, she hadn't thought that anyone would be up already.

More like she had hoped.

"E-Elfman," she stuttered when she found him in the kitchen, sitting at the table reading the newspaper. He hardly even glanced up. "And Evergreen. What a surprise."

The woman in question was sitting there with him, picking at a plate of eggs in front of her. "Is it?"

"Yes," Mirajane said slowly as she came in, flustered and slightly unnerved. Clearly she was going to have to explain her appearance. "I was just coming from-"

"Laxus' house, we know," Evergreen complained as Elfman, who'd been about to turned the page in the paper put it down real fast and sent his girlfriend a glare. She dropped her fork too in shock before moving to pick up her fan that sat on the table next to the plate and unfold it.

"What do you mean?" Mirajane asked, staring at her. The woman just hid her face behind the fan, trying hard not to blush.

"You're…You're wearing his shirt," Elfman said quickly. "And Evergreen would know it because…"

"Because I love him, of course," the woman said from behind her fan. Elfman's head sure swiveled at that one. "Not like that, you big oaf. In-"

"A manly way?"

"Sure, whatever."

Mirajane just blinked though, staring over at them. "Then you're not upset, Elfman? Or shocked? Or-"

"Of course I am," he said, trying to work himself up. It was hard so early in the morning. "I'm appalled. I'm outraged. I'm-"

"In need of some toothpaste."

"Ever," he complained, turning back to glare at him then. She just fanned herself though.

"I mean, honestly. Morning breath much?"

"You're being rude," he complained. "And if I smell, it's because I'm a man! Men smell!"

That gave Mirajane the break she needed to rush off to her bedroom to change and have a chance at a breather.

What had been up with Elfman and Ever? They almost seemed…unconcerned.

Maybe Bickslow and Lisanna had told them?

"Probably," Laxus said with a shrug when she said something about it to him later. "I mean, come on, Mira. I can't keep that tight of a leash on him, can I? You're the one that was dumb enough to just trust them, remember?"

Okay, okay, so maybe Mirajane could explain all of that. But she drew the line at Levy and Gajeel.

It was actually her fault that that was brought up. She was, once more, bothering Levy up at the hall about how good she looked paired with the Iron Dragon Slayer and how much he clearly liked her.

"I really don't know where you get all of this from," Levy said with a blush she sat up at the bar, trying hard to focus more on her book than Mira's words. "Honestly. I-"

"I got it from watching you guys, of course," Mirajane said simply. "You look really cute together."

"Hardly," she remarked, giving the woman a look. "And please stop talking about this, okay? He's going to be here any-"

"Who's gonna be here?"

Levy went ridged then as they were joined at the bar. "G-Gajeel, you're here."

"Heck yeah I am. Me and the cat said we would meet ya here, didn't we, Lily?"

The Exceed came to land on the bar. "I believe we did, Gajeel."

"What were you guys talking about?" the man asked then, glancing suspiciously between them. "Huh?"

"Nothing," Levy was quick to say. "Just-"

"Just a certain dragon slayer," Mirajane said then, eyes twinkling as Levy about died.

The guy just rolled his eyes. "Who? Laxus?"

"N-No," Mira said with a frown, glancing at him. "Why would we-"

"Gajeel," Levy hissed, frowning at him.

"Wh- Oh. Oops."

"Nice going."

"Well, it's stupid anyways! Why am I in such a debt to Laxus that I gotta help him hid shit from Mirajane? Huh? Who the hell is he to me?"

"He-"

"What are you guys talking about?" Mira had a heavy frown going then as she glared at them. "What-"

"Nothing," Levy said quickly. "We-"

"Well, we've already blown it," Gajeel complained. "Why keep lying?"

"Gajeel-"

"What?" the barmaid prompted. "What do you know? What does everyone know? Why are you all-"

"Oy, boss," she heard then from Bickslow, who was sitting further down the bar, talking to the working (debatably) Lisanna. He was calling out then to Laxus though, who was sitting with Freed and Ever over in the corner. "You better get up here."

"What?" Mira was still just looking around. Her eyes found Laxus easily. "What's going on?"

He sighed too as even all the way on the other side of the guild he knew it was over. The jig was up. Time to come clean.

"Demon," he said as he came over to the bar. "Let's go talk out-"

"No, Laxus. What-"

"It's was all a freaking lie. Don't you get it?" Gajeel wasn't in a good mood, apparently.

"What was?"

"This whole...bullshit about us not knowing about- Ow, shrimp!"

She just pinched him again. "You be quiet. This has nothing to do with you."

Lily snickered at the sight. "Getting put in your place, are you, Gajeel?"

"I am not. I- Stop pinching me, shrimp!"

"What's going on, Laxus?" Mira was finished with them then as he came over to the bar. "I mean-"

"See, Mira," he said slowly as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "I, uh, liked to do things for you. You know that."

"I know this."

"And, well, when we first got together, you seemed to like the idea of it, you know? That we were being so secretive and that everyone would just be so interested in us and…well…I just…"

"He was just trying to make you happy, Mira," Lisanna spoke up from the other end of the bar. Bickslow, who was sitting in front of it, nodded.

"The boss loves you. So he told us all not to mention that we knew. To not let on. Since you liked to think that you were being sneaky."

"Then you knew?"

"Of course I did," Lisanna said with a frown. "I mean, you might like to think it, but sneaky you are not."

"Huh?"

"I caught you guys, like, a thousand times already," her sister said. "I mean, you're not that good at handing him off notes. Or at hiding the flowers or gifts. And I see the way that you guys are always looking at one another."

"Who else knew?"

Slowly, Evergreen spoke up from over at the table. "Freed and I were going over to Laxus' place once, to talk to him, and you were asleep in the bedroom. You never woke up, but we knew you were in there."

"It was most embarrassing," Freed agreed.

"And then Cana caught us once when we thought we were alone at the guildhall and were talking," Laxus went on.

"I fell asleep drunk in the back and thought I was just dreaming," she admitted from where she was sitting at a table with Lucy. The blonde nodded slightly as well.

"And one time you didn't mean to, but when you were telling me about the date you'd gone on with some mystery guy, you practically described Laxus," Lucy said slowly. "And then you guys kept glancing at each other he you were blushing and…I mean, I'm not stupid."

Happy, who was with her, snickered. "We all knew that you two _loved_ each other."

"Everyone?" Mirajane glanced around. "Everyone knew?"

"No," Natsu said loudly from where he was sitting with Lucy and Happy. "I for one didn't."

"He's ass pounded," Bickslow remarked which got him another frown from Lisanna.

"Natsu," Lucy complained. "I told you about it. Remember? You were the only person I told. Other than, like, Happy."

"Really?" Natsu shrugged. "Huh. Don't remember."

"That's how come Natsu's so good with secrets," Happy said. "Because they're not about him, they're not important, so he doesn't care enough to remember them."

The pink haired man nodded. "I probably won't even remember this tomorrow. Unless you make it worth my while, Laxus, and fight me!"

"Choke and die," he grumbled, still just staring at Mirajane. She was frowning a little and, honestly, he was hoping that she didn't kill him. "Demon, I did this for you. You get that, right? No one else. I…I love you. And I knew that you loved the mystic of it all and… I just want this to work. And if that's what our relationship's built off of, secrets and the thrill of keeping them, then I wanted to make it last. I…I shouldn't have lied, but I-"

"Oh, Laxus." Mirajane clapped then as Freed bowed his head.

To Ever, he whispered, "I do not like this side of Laxus."

"Me either," she complained, hiding her face behind her fan. "Then again, Elfman's off on a solo job and I'm not much for liking anything."

"I do like the self-awareness you've formed recently, however."

"Just trying something new."

"This is the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me," Mirajane said as she reached across the bar to hug him. At the sight of it, Gajeel frowned and shook his head. "I'm serious, this is so-"

"Then you're not mad?" the lightning mage asked. "Demon?"

"Of course not," she said, pulling back some. "You had everyone in the hall pretend to not know that we were dating not only to keep my happy, but also just to keep me in general. That's…weird, but sweet. Very, very sweet. And I love you too."

He grinned then for a moment…until all of the girls awed and he remembered where he was.

Right. That was another reason he swore everyone to secrecy. So they couldn't openly tease him about his relationship.

But he still felt good, if only a little, about it all being out in the open. Honestly he'd been worried that when Mira inevitably found out that she'd be upset with him. That that would be the final straw.

If anything, it was the complete opposite.

That he was willing to go to those lengths to keep her around and happy and entertained clearly showed how much he loved her. And it was far more than any other guy had.

"Good dragon," she whispered to him which made the man turn bright red and turn away, going back over to his table to sulk some.

Gah! Having a girlfriend was so embarrassing.

So maybe it would be easy for Mirajane to get another boyfriend. And maybe eventually she'd have to. But in that moment she knew that she didn't want to. And if she ever did, it'd be a long time from then. Because she was in love with her silly little dragon and, clearly, he cared about her.

What more could someone ask for?

"You handled my big lie very well," Laxus said that night as they sat on the couch in his living room, her head resting in his lap. "Good demon."

"Mmmm."

"I really thought you'd be mad with me. But nope. Because you're just so great and amazing and I love you so much."

"I think if you guys had given me a little bit longer," Mira said then as she stared up at him, "I'd have been able to figure it all out on my own."

Laxus blinked. Was she serious? Sigh. It was her hour of praising the demon time though and, well, he couldn't argue much, could he? Not when she gave him that one about the trash.

"I know, demon," he sighed, playing with her hair. "My silly little precious demon. Trust me. I know."


End file.
